California Zephyr Trip Journal
The trip started with a WAY too early flight from Sacramento to Las Vegas. It was a nice smooth flight, but not a lot to see because of the cloud cover.
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Flying over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the snow pack is clearly visible. The return trip should be right through the middle of all of that snow.
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Getting closer to Las Vegas, the snow has given way to the desert.
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After a layover and a $2.00 Nevada state tax loss ( was up $1.00 on video poker) it's back into the skies to fly over the fly-over states. Not a lot to see below, but gorgeous blue sky above.
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On approach into Chicago Midway.
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When you don't have a ride, you find a ride. With a similar odor to California Bay Area's BART trains, but louder squealing, Chicago's "L" is a cheap way to get into town. $3.oo from Midway's Orange line to the Red Line's Grand station, with a transfer at Roosevelt.
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Chicago's finest doing what they do.
LOVE the black tops. Local fire department back home has gone to black tops on a few of their engines. It just looks classy. The fire house that this truck/engine comes from helped with a travelling bunny photo project 13 years ago that I did.2019 04 16California Zephyr TripUmlaut Photographywww.umlautphotography.com
The Sears, I mean Willis Tower.
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The South staircase in the great hall. Look familiar??
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The old marble stairs were replaced in the 2017 renovation. They kept a few of the old stairs to show how much the marble was worn from use.
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Preservationists had carefully scraped through layers of paint to find the original colors of the Great Hall during the renovations.
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Inside the Great Hall of Union Station. The hall was recently renovated in 2017.
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See those 4 blocks up near the top of the Willis (Sears) Tower? That's those Skydeck boxes that you pay $23 to give yourself anxiety, to step out of the 103'rd floor out into the Chicago skyline. Basically a whole lotta Nope.
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Each of the Chicago River bridges has at least one Bridge Tender House. More information about the Chicago River Bridges can be found at:
http://chicagoloopbridges.com/FAQS12.html#ans32019 04 17California Zephyr TripUmlaut Photographywww.umlautphotography.com
One of MANY sightseeing tour boats along the Chicago river.
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Adams St. Bridge. One of the many bridges along the Chicago river. In the short time I was outside of Union Station, 3 boat tours went through. The city does a yearly bridge lift calendar to get boats out of inner Chicago to the lake.
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Probably the biggest "You are here" I've ever seen.
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What is that 9 floors down from the top??? No. It Can't be!!!
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Yup! It is. Window Washers!!! A WHOLE lotta nope on that job.
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Chicago River Bridge Tender House on the Adams St. Bridge.
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Is it just me or does the Willis (Sears) Tower look like it's giving you the finger??
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Spring flowers in the middle of the concrete jungle.
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Motorola Building peeking over the top of everything
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The front cannons of the Christopher Wheatley.
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Chicago Fire Department boat Christopher Wheatley, named after a young Chicago firefighter who had died in the line of duty in August 2010.
3 HUGE water cannons on it. 2 in the front, 1 in the back. Would be cool to see them firing water at full strength.2019 04 17California Zephyr TripUmlaut Photographywww.umlautphotography.com
Because when you can get Dunkin, you do.
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As nice as the lounge was, I really enjoyed being out in the Great Hall. There was just more to see, and more to appreciate out there. After going back out for a while longer, they called for the boarding of sleeping car passengers for train #5.
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The Amtrak departure board. Looking for #5.
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Union Station is still under renovation. There are a lot of areas closed for construction, and while lining up to board, you can see the ceiling still isn't finished in the track lobby.
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